*Wants FG to unmask masterminds behind invasion within 48 hours
*As Reps, Atiku tackle AGF Malami
Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike and leaders of the state ,on Sunday, issued a 48- hour ultimatum to the Federal Government, asking it to unmask those behind the invasion of the Abuja residence of a Justice of Supreme Court (JSC), Justice Many Odili.
Governor Wike, who was speaking at a gathering of Rivers leaders of thought in Abuja on Sunday, said it was insufficient for the Federal Government and its officials, particularly the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN) to merely deny their involvement.
Wike also argued that as a responsible government, it ought not to have taken 24 hours for the Federal Government to tell Nigerians what actually happened, since the names of the police officer, the supposed whistle blower, the Chief Magistrate and other key players in the sad episode were already in public domain.
The Rivers Governor, who described the incident as an attempt on the lives of former Rivers State Governor Peter Odili, his wife-Justice Odili and other members of his family, warned that his State and its people would hold the Federal Government responsible should anything untoward happens to any member of the family.
Also at the gathering were National Assembly members of Rivers extraction, members of Rivers State House of Assembly and Local Government Chairmen and many others.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Committee on Judiciary has called for urgent and discreet investigation into invasion of Justice Odili’s residence.
The Committee added that the investigation will help to unmask the perpetrators believed to be security operatives.
The Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Onofiok Luke, in a statement he personally signed on Sunday, condemned the siege, saying it was an action capable on setting the Executive and Judicial arms of government on a warpath.
He said that the siege was a repudiation of judicial independence and an assault on the sanctity of the nation’s judiciary.
On his part, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned the raid on the residence of Justice Odili.
A statement issued by his media office, quoted Atiku as saying that a continuation of the notorious behaviour of security operatives conducting a raid on residences of senior judicial officers negates the ideals of a democratic society and an affront to the independence of the judiciary.
He said, “It is with utmost disgust that we continue to witness situations whereby law enforcement agencies conduct raids on residences of senior judges in the country. Irrespective of the investigations that they pursue, such practices give expression of professional misconduct and put our country in very poor images.
“It needs not be reiterated that this is a democratic republic and every organ of the state bureaucracy, especially the security agencies, must conduct themselves in responsibility to the people of Nigeria.”
